At some point, you just have to start climbing

Few years ago, before going to bed one night, I asked for spiritual guidance on the next step in my career. I felt a little stuck. My work as a coach and teacher satisfied and fulfilled me, but at the same time, I knew I was missing out on something. That something bigger was on the horizon.

When I woke up the next morning, I quickly wrote down two dreams in my journal:

Dream #1I am standing by the base of a very tall pole. It is so long that I can’t see the top. I know I have to climb it, but doing so is impossible. I feel scared—really scared—and disappointed.

Dream #2I am standing at the bottom of a mountain. At the top is a cute house with a red roof and a chimney. I know something important is waiting for me inside, and getting up there is easy when I follow a path that spirals around the mountain. The scenery is beautiful and green, and there are pretty flowers all around me as I climb. When I get to the house, I see a folder with my name on it. I open the folder and find a colorful one-page document with an inspiring message written on it. I grab the folder and easily go back down the mountain.

A friend who is also a very successful life coach helped me to uncover the dreams’ meanings:

In the first dream, I have an idea of what “up” is for me, but the path seems nearly impossible, and I don’t know where it leads. In the second dream, I walk up a paved path instead of building a new one. Part of me is ready to face my fears while another part prefers I play it safe and move forward slowly.

I knew these two dreams were meaningful. I took their messages into my Reiki and meditation practices and gained even more clarity:

I was standing at a turning point.
I needed to challenge my limitations.
It was time for me to climb up the pole.

It took me more than a year of deep soul-searching before these dreams manifested.

Throughout that year, it became clear to me that I was meant to be in service of more women and to build a sisterhood that would support one another in scaling to incredible heights.

Here’s what I did:

I worked with my personal life coach on overcoming my fears.

I faced those fears and made myself more visible.

I started to write with transparency and boldness.

I rebranded and reshaped my message.

I created the Beacons of Change community.

The message hidden in the folder in the house at the top of the mountain gave birth to a set of values that I—and now the many women in my tribe—live by: The Beacons of Change Manifesto.

There is one thing I want you to know before you read the manifesto:
It is the result of a deep process of exploration, and I chose each word with care and intention.

As you read, take time to pause and feel the words in your heart.
Post it somewhere you will see it often.
Share it with other women who are also meant to shine.